After 16 Years, Naruto Finally Has The Perfect Villain Replacement For Pain

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This article contains spoilers from the Boruto series.

As a huge Naruto fan, I always thought Pain was one of the greatest villains ever – not just in Naruto, but in all of anime! He led the Akatsuki, and what really struck me was his goal: true world peace. But it wasn’t about just wanting peace, it was how he went about it. Pain was the first villain Kishimoto created where I, and a lot of other fans, actually found ourselves understanding – and even agreeing with – his perspective. He was just so compelling!

Pain was a truly memorable villain, not only for viewers but also for the main character, Naruto. So far, Boruto hasn’t featured a villain quite as impactful. However, the series’ current major antagonist, Jura, seems to be developing in a similar way. Jura shares many traits with Pain, and could become a similarly compelling and unforgettable character.

Pain Was The Most Compelling Naruto Villain Of All Time

  • Pain Wanted True Power
  • Pain’s Goal Was The Same As Naruto’s

When it comes to memorable villains in Naruto, Pain is definitely among the best. While Madara was famous for his power and Kaguya was the ultimate threat, Pain stood out as the most captivating. He wasn’t necessarily the strongest villain in the series, but he was undoubtedly the most impactful.

Beyond the Six Paths technique, the Rinnegan possesses an incredibly powerful ability known as the Outer Path. The Rinnegan grants its user control over life and death. Konan explains to Naruto that Nagato is sacrificing himself because he has faith in him.

Pain’s appeal stemmed from the harsh realities of the ninja world and the suffering he endured. Like Naruto, he ultimately desired peace, but his experiences led him to pursue it through very different methods.

Pain’s heartbreaking past and admirable intentions helped fans connect with his motivations. While his methods weren’t always justifiable, his underlying philosophy resonated with many, and that’s what made him such a compelling character.

Jura Brings The Same Energy As Pain In Boruto

In the Boruto series, Jura has quickly become a standout villain. Although we haven’t learned everything about him yet, it’s obvious he’s very interested in how people think and what they believe.

I’ve been observing humans for a while now, and I’ve come to think of love as a strange thing. It seems like a real weakness, almost a flaw in your design. It’s odd, considering how smart you all are. But then, I’ve also noticed it actually makes you stronger. It’s a confusing paradox, honestly. I shared this thought with Boruto Uzumaki recently – it’s a side effect of intelligence, but it’s powerful.

Jura is the living form of the Ten-Tails. Initially, he’s been acting on pure instinct – to consume and become more powerful. However, Jura has become fascinated by the idea of human sacrifice and the concept of love. He’s realized that humans gain strength through sacrifice, and he links this to love, even though he originally saw love as a flaw.

Jura is determined to understand true love, and he believes Naruto Uzumaki embodies it perfectly. He wants to meet and talk with Naruto to gain insight.

Although Jura hasn’t experienced the same hardships or been created by human conflict like Nagato, he’s a compelling villain who presents viewers with thought-provoking questions.

Watching Jura, I’m struck by how much he reminds me of Pain from the original Naruto – he has that same captivating and unsettling vibe. It’s really got fans talking and wondering what his deal is. Honestly, so far, I think Jura is the best villain Boruto has given us, and he might even become more memorable than some of the villains from the original Naruto series.

Jura Could Be The Perfect Pain Replacement If Handled Well

Jura is a relatively new character with a lot of untapped potential. While it’s too soon to say if he’s as impactful as Pain, fans recognize his possibilities. With skillful writing from Kishimoto and Ikemoto, Jura could ultimately become Pain’s successor – he’s a very promising character.

Everything has been great so far, but it remains to be seen how things develop in the coming months and how the character progresses. Fans are hoping Jura delivers the kind of compelling villains Boruto used to have, and provides a truly impressive storyline.

Boruto: Two Blue Vortex is the continuation of the original Boruto series, created by Mikio Ikemoto with supervision from Masashi Kishimoto. Picking up three years after the events of the Omnipotence arc, the story follows Boruto Uzumaki as he strives to protect the world and navigate his relationship with his brother, Kawaki. Chapter 30 of Boruto: Two Blue Vortex will be released on January 20, 2026, at 10 AM EST / 3 PM UTC. Fans can read it for free on the Manga Plus and Shonen Jump apps.

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2025-12-21 00:34